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2006 Kia Sorento

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Kia Sorento do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 242.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

208 reports with mileage · 34 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports8 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

242 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 2010
Seats

MY 2006 KIA SORENTO ELECTRIC DRIVER SEAT WILL NOT MOVE SO I CAN SIT COMFORTABLY. I WAS WORKING FINE UNTIL THE 25TH OF JULY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10351757

62,000 miles · Jul 14, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ISSUE IS WITH 2 KIAS I BOUGHT WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. BOTH AUTOMOBILES HAD AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSORS THAT FAILED WITHIN MONTHS OF ME PURCHASING IT. THE FIRST KIA I BOUGHT WAS A SEDONA 2003. THE SECOND IS A SORENTO 2006 I BOUGHT NOVEMBER 2009. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10343091

Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2010
Electrical System

I BOUGHT AN 2006 SORENTO IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR AND I HAVE BEEN HEARING THIS LOUD NOISE COMING FORM THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I TAKE OFF IT STALLS ITS JUST BEEN AN HEADACHE WITH THIS CAR I WISH THEY WOULD JUST RECALL IT SO IT CAN BE FIXED NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES IT GOES TO THE SHOP THE NOISE COMES BACK UGH!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10341361

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

THIS 2006 KIA SORENTO HAS OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES OTHER THAN JUST THE BRAKE SWITCH. WE ARE CONSTANTLY REPLACING THE BULBS IN THE HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS AND PARKING LIGHTS. THIS IS BECOME A COMPLETE PAIN IN THE NECK. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE HOW MY LIGHTS GO OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WE HAVE ALSO NOTICED…

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THIS 2006 KIA SORENTO HAS OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES OTHER THAN JUST THE BRAKE SWITCH. WE ARE CONSTANTLY REPLACING THE BULBS IN THE HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS AND PARKING LIGHTS. THIS IS BECOME A COMPLETE PAIN IN THE NECK. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE HOW MY LIGHTS GO OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WE HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT DURING THE DAY WHEN WE ARE NOT USING THE DASH LIGHTS THAT WHEN WE APPLY THE BRAKES THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON AND SO DO THE PARKING LIGHTS. THE FACT THAT I DRIVE AROUND WITHOUT KNOWING WHEN MY LIGHTS ARE BLOWN OR NOT CAN CREATE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10335973

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2010
Air BagsSeatsCrash

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN JUNE 2009, IN A 2006 KIA SORENTO. I WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60-70MPH. THE IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE, THAT I ENDED UP IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE THAT I WAS PUSHED INTO. THE RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT WAS TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THAT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK BR…

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I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN JUNE 2009, IN A 2006 KIA SORENTO. I WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60-70MPH. THE IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE, THAT I ENDED UP IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE THAT I WAS PUSHED INTO. THE RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT WAS TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THAT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK BROKE. DOCTORS SAID THAT HAD MY SEAT BACK NOT BROKE, I WOULD NOT HAVE SUSTAINED SUCH DEBILITATING INJURIES THAT I AM NOT GOING TO HEAL FROM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10314735

12,000 miles · Feb 2, 2010
Exterior Lighting

FRONT HEADLIGHTS ON KIA SORENTO 2006 MODEL CONTINUES TO BURN OUT OR FLASH ON THEIR OWN HAVE REPLACED 6 SETS OF LIGHTS IN FRONT AND HAVE ON 38,000 MILES FIRST SET WAS AT 16,000 AND EVERY 6 TO 8 MONTHS THERE AFTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10304055

92,348 miles · Jan 5, 2010
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkagesPower Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO AND STATED THE PROPELLER SHAFT FOR THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CONTINUED TO FAIL ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT AND ROAD TESTED THE VEHICLE. WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SHOP FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT WAS REPLACED A SECOND T…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO AND STATED THE PROPELLER SHAFT FOR THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CONTINUED TO FAIL ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT AND ROAD TESTED THE VEHICLE. WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SHOP FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AN ADDITIONAL TWO TIMES WITHIN FOUR MONTHS. WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE WARNING PANEL AND HE COULD SMELL BURNING OIL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT AGAIN. TO DATE, THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A VERY LOUD NOISE, WHEN TURNING RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME VERY HARD AND A LOUD NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE TO CORRECT THE ACTUAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,348 AND THE CURRENT WAS 99,583. UPDATED 02/02/10 .*LJ THE BLOWER MOTOR FOR THE HEATER HAD TO BE REPAIRED. THE FRONT DOOR'S LATCH WAS FAULTY IT WAS MAKING A BUZZING SOUND. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER SHAFT WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE STRANGE NOISES. UPDATED 02/04/10

NHTSA ODI #10298269

8,000 miles · Nov 17, 2009
EquipmentService Brakes, Electric

BRAKE PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE EXTENSIVE WORK ON MY BRAKES EVERY 8000 MILES. I CAN SET MY ODOMETER BY THIS IT IS SO RELIABLE. WHEN I BOUGHT MY SORRENTO IN 2006 WITHIN THE FIRST 8000 MILES THE BRAKES WENT OUT. THE DEALERSHIP AGREED TO CHANGE THE ROTORS FOR ME. IN 8000 MILES THE SHOES, ROTORS EVERYTHING WAS BAD AGAIN. I C…

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BRAKE PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE EXTENSIVE WORK ON MY BRAKES EVERY 8000 MILES. I CAN SET MY ODOMETER BY THIS IT IS SO RELIABLE. WHEN I BOUGHT MY SORRENTO IN 2006 WITHIN THE FIRST 8000 MILES THE BRAKES WENT OUT. THE DEALERSHIP AGREED TO CHANGE THE ROTORS FOR ME. IN 8000 MILES THE SHOES, ROTORS EVERYTHING WAS BAD AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT. I WENT TO THEM AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE AN EXORBITANT PRICE SO I WENT TO MY USUAL CAR REPAIR SHOP. THEY CHANGED THE BRAKES AND AS USUAL WITHIN 8000 MILES AGAIN THE BRAKES. I WENT BACK TO MY CAR REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID THIS TIME IT WAS THE BACK BRAKES (THE FIRST TIME THE FRONT). THEY REPAIRED THEM AND ASSURED ME THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN BEFORE ABOUT 30K MILES. NOW AFTER 8000 MILES MY BRAKES ARE AGAIN BAD. I HAVE COMPLAINED REPEATEDLY TO KIA, THEY DO NOTHING. THEIR CONSUMER PORTION OF KIA IS A JOKE. THEY ALWAYS SAY IT'S THE CONSUMER'S FAULT. MY CAR IS 3 YEARS, AND ALMOST 4 YEARS OLD AND I ONLY HAVE 29K MILES ON IT SO I AM NOT A ROUGH DRIVER, NOT A LONG DISTANCE DRIVER AND AM A 50 YEAR OLD WOMAN SO IT'S NOT LIKE I'M OUT HOTRODDING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10292484

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE A 2006 KIA SORENTO, THE ROTORS KEEP FAILING. AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE AND TURNED ONCE. THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE LAST TIME I HAD THEM REPLACED WAS IN DECEMBER 2008. ON AVERAGE I HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED OR TURNED EVERY 8 - 9 MONTHS. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE BBB AND TO KIA. KI…

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I HAVE A 2006 KIA SORENTO, THE ROTORS KEEP FAILING. AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE AND TURNED ONCE. THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE LAST TIME I HAD THEM REPLACED WAS IN DECEMBER 2008. ON AVERAGE I HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED OR TURNED EVERY 8 - 9 MONTHS. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE BBB AND TO KIA. KIA REFUSES TO PUT IT ON RECALL STATING THAT THE SAFETY HIGHWAY COMMISSION HAS TO REQUEST THE RECALL. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM BUT AM THE ONLY ONE WHO IS TRULY CONCERNED. PLEASE HELP ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10285913

68,000 miles · Jul 6, 2009
Suspension

FRONT END BEGAN EXCESSIVE SHAKING ON INTERSTATE AT 65MPH. ALMOST LOST CONTROL, BUT MANAGED TO AVOID A CRASH. THE SAME SHAKING HAPPENS ANYTIME I DRIVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE NOW, BUT FIRST PROBLEM HAPPENED AT INTERSTATE SPEED. I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND STOP MOVING TO STOP THE SHAKING. HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS…

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FRONT END BEGAN EXCESSIVE SHAKING ON INTERSTATE AT 65MPH. ALMOST LOST CONTROL, BUT MANAGED TO AVOID A CRASH. THE SAME SHAKING HAPPENS ANYTIME I DRIVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE NOW, BUT FIRST PROBLEM HAPPENED AT INTERSTATE SPEED. I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND STOP MOVING TO STOP THE SHAKING. HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS NOW. CAR IS AT KIA DEALER TO REPLACE SWAY BAR LINK. VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION, ESPECIALLY AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS. I CONTACTED KIA CONSUMER DEPARTMENT. THEY WERE NOT RECEPTIVE TO THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10275845

Official recalls

1

09V130000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Apr 17, 2009

HUYNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 139,844 MY 2006-2007- SEDONA, SPORTAGE, SORENTO AND MY RONDO AND AMANTI VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP21003 · Throttle Control System Vulnerabilities

Opened Nov 12, 2021 · Closed Jun 20, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:throttle

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recorder (EDR) records were downloaded successfully and 11 of those indicated driver error: (i.e.) pedal misapplication.A condition where the accelerator pedal is mistakenly applied instead of the brake pedal when the driver wants to stop the vehicle.In addition, ODI reviewed a scientific journal paper published in Forensic Science International in 2016 by Mr. Park et al ., as well as related test videos. ODI does not believe there is any evidence of uncontrollable SUA occurrences in any of the tests reviewed. NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) reviewed the allegations regarding the potential noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124.Based on the information provided, the Agency concludes there is insufficient information for us to determine if a possible non-compliance exists.Finally, both Hyundai and Kia informed ODI that all their vehicles manufactured after 2012 were equipped with an ETC management system, in which the engine speed will go to idle when the system sees signals from both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal at the same time; this is commonly known as the brake-throttle override system.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA's possession, information submitted by Hyundai and Kia in response to an Information Request letter, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. After full consideration of appropriate factors, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA?s reasons for denial of the petition will be published.

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